Owl Home Inspections blogs

Gold medals and lead

RickMaday — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:06:13 -0500

Today China is on center stage as hosts of the Olympics.

Woo hoo! (guess sarcasm doesn't come across well in print)

Why China?

The only things I know about China are:

Kung-Po Chicken is a bit spicy.
Using chopsticks takes a lot of practice.
There's lots of smog
There's lots of lead.
The Chinese like to share (the smog and lead, that is)

The smog will be shared with all of the athletes that are going there. The lead, though, they have to ship out.

It was not to long ago that toys were being recalled left and right for elevated lead content, remember?

I recall (no pun intended) going through my son's things looking for the "Made in China" stamp and comparing those items to various news reports and distributors lists to see if they were leaded or unleaded. Luckily, the items that were tainted were things he had grown out of (Thomas the Train). It was a pretty hectic time trying to keep up with it all, nonetheless.

Until I found a quick and easy solution.

The CPSC.

Our good ole watchdogs were sending all the information available to everyone who asked. So, I asked.

Currently, I get a couple emails a week. Each email usually has one or two recalls, but I have seen up to six in one email. If you'd like to get the scoop see https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx . You can select what types of recalls you want to receive (children's items, sporting goods, household products, etc).

It's pretty simple (and free) to sign up. I also forward the emails I get (all recall info) to clients and anyone who asks. Rick's Recall Notices .

Wonder if the Gold Medals have too much lead? I guess we'll know soon enough!

Propane Tank Safety Alert

RickMaday — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:02:12 -0500

6/2/08

I just came across this alert from The National Propane Gas Association regarding compromised propane tank cylenders that can explode without warning.

If you use a gas grill see the following article:

https://www.npga.org//index.cfm?pageid=529 .

Please read the above article to see what to look for when exchanging your propane tank.

Be sure it has not been tampered with.

Foreclosure Inspections

RickMaday — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:37:04 -0500

There are a lot of foreclosed homes out there.

Many of these properties can be gotten for a discount.

Most are sold "as-is". The owner (the bank) won’t fix anything found in an inspection.

So why have an inspection?

Simple. Know what you’re getting into.

Do you remember the Tom Hanks movie, "The Money Pit"? Don’t let your "good deal" on a foreclosure turn into that. Houses are built to be lived in. They need you to turn on the faucets, flush the toilets and run the water heater on a regular basis. They need the windows to be opened from time to time. They need the air circulated through the house. Most importantly, they need someone to be there if something has gone wrong.

If the foreclosure process is complete and the property is bank owned (REO) the home will be vacant. It does not get the care that it needs. Think about a "haunted house" in your neighborhood or city where you grew up. Or, perhaps the old house in "It’s a Wonderful Life" comes to mind. It was vacant and dilapidated, deteriorating more and more on a daily basis because no one was there to take care of it. Same thing with any vacant residence, new or used. Things start deteriorating immediately. Deterioration is an ongoing process; it does not stop just because a property is vacant.

To make matters worse, the previous owners knew they were going into foreclosure and probably did not take as good of care as their house as they should have. Some people faced with foreclosure actually do damage to the property before they are forced to leave.

While the property you want to buy may not look as bad as the one in the picture, it may have defects that are not obvious to the untrained eye that can cost you more than the "savings" you are getting.

A good home inspector can find the defects with the house and help you make an informed buying decision. Even if it is sold "as-is" you have the right to know if the foreclosure you are buying is a good deal or a money pit.

Compact fluorescent lights contain mercury

RickMaday — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:47:03 -0600

They save energy.
They last a long time.
They are one of the easiest things you can do to "green-up" your home.
Their use is mandated by the US Government

They contain Mercury.
They require special clean-up procedures.
They shouldn't be thrown in the trash.

I'll be everyone knows that compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are the first four items. But probably very few know that the last three also apply. The EPA has mandated their use, however not much is publicized about what to do if they break or how to properly dispose of them. I'm sure it's written on the box in fine print somewhere. Now if I could just find the box it came in. Hmm.

Actually, the EPA web site has some good info. See What to do if a CFL breaks for more info.

Letting the house go: Am I making the right decision? - WalletPop

RickMaday — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:29:04 -0600

Letting the house go: Am I making the right decision? - WalletPop -

Letting the house go: Am I making the right decision?
WalletPop, VA - 5 hours ago
We got sucked in by the allure of owning our own home. We didn't realize all the side effects of owning a home; the maintenance, the upgrades, ...

[Home Maintenance Tips]

Exploding Water Heater

RickMaday — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:50:52 -0600

Don't let this happen to you.

Check out an Exploding Water Heater from Mythbusters TV show.

Please, make sure your water heater is in good condition with a functioning temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve.

If you have any questions about anything, please contact me.